BBC Symphony Orchestra

The BBC Symphony Orchestra has been at the heart of British musical life since it was founded in 1930. It plays a central role in the BBC Proms, usually performing around a dozen concerts each season.

Chief Conductor Sakari Oramo led the orchestra in the first of the 2020 season’s live concerts, while Principal Guest Conductor Dalia Stasevska took the helm for the Last Night celebrations. In addition to performances with Oramo, Stasevska and Creative Artist in Association Jules Buckley, the BBC SO works regularly with Semyon Bychkov, holder of the Günter Wand Conducting Chair, and Conductor Laureate Sir Andrew Davis.

The BBC SO performs an annual season of concerts at the Barbican, where it is Associate Orchestra, and looks forward to being part of a series of concerts streamed live from the Barbican Hall in autumn 2020. Its commitment to contemporary music is demonstrated by a range of premieres each season, as well as Total Immersion days devoted to specific composers or themes. The vast majority of its performances are broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and available for 30 days afterwards on BBC Sounds.

As part of Get Involved, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Singers and BBC Proms, offer family concerts and innovative education work, and they have been closely involved with the BBC’s Ten Pieces, Proms at Home and Connecting the Dots initiatives.